lexapro

i think it took about 10 days at each increase for the side effects to dissipate... lyn

so i finally heard from my md this morning.... i never think quick enough when i talk to her. She wasn't in last Friday when I called and was really appologetic and concerned. Course, now that I am slowly adjusting to the Lexapro she wants to change me to tryptophan. Having thought about it for 2 hours, i think I want to stay with what I'm on (she wanted me to go off it for a week and get my stomach back to normal - but i have 3 concerts coming up that it would be nice to be calm for; expecially since i have a solo) and I called and left her a message to that regard. She did say it is my choice and at the time i had just said "ok, whichever" but I know i need time to process info and changes.
My brain is so segmented that I even forgot to tell her the good things - like I haven't SIed like usual (though cheeck chewing has increased) and I got up, ate, cleaned house, even went to yoga this morning!!! I feel for her, having to deal with me.
Kiya

I'd stay stick to whatever works for you... you can't "really" tell if a drug works for you for at least a month anyways.

aye. i got another message from her - she's pleased to hear the good stuff that is working and said to stay on it and "play" with it as well as the 5HTP for another week or two. no pressure.
Right now I'm a bit disoriended again, have a moderate stomachache and feel like I can hardly keep my eyes open - but that may be because last night i took it 6 hours early.
all this fun - don't know if i can stand it =)

I just took mine for today, after dinner, I think I'll start at between 6:30 to 7:00 pm everyday, I talked to someone else who is on it today, he takes 2- 10 mil, one in the morning and one at night, and claims it is the best thing he ever took, but I was still sleepy today maybe from the blood pressure med the doc put me on, my friend said I'd get use to it and be fine like him, LOL

The doctor said I had a type " A " personality and he felt the Lexapro
was the best thing for me , ironicly about 8 years ago I went to a different doctor who put me on the same thing but, I thought he was crazy when I found out what it was for, I never told this doctor that though, LOL

I'm gonna tough it out for atleast 6 weeks this time before I decide how it makes me feel

kiya it took me almost a month to get to a level place... like i said i did 5 for a week... and had side effects they had just started to get better and he upped me to 10... took another 10 days... but i felt really good.... and it helped with my panic attacks... i don't think 6 days isn't long enough to give it a fair try... you know?...lyn

yeah - i'm gonna tough it out too....i'm speaking up more than ever (especially compared to my once selective mutism days) and feeling more confident in being out in public.

Yes, i agree. I can tell that it has helped with panic a little already. My interview didn't go as I had hoped, but not due to me. I felt I did really well, and that my brain and my mouth moved along faster than usual. Afterward, I even stayed in the store and bought some things I needed - instead of running out and crying in my car =) I got through the hardest part alone (without MD) and with you guys here in PC and I am ready to go further with it.

I am actually feeling pretty good today also, I never thought i needed anything to change my brain chemistry, but now 2 docs seem to feel the same about me, LOL

I feel like my thoughts are starting to collect better and superfical
details that I usually pick apart don't seem as important

glad you are feeling a little better, also

I've just started taking lexapro, and I have this really.... Odd feeling.

It's not quite anxiety, just kind of "Uncomfortable" feeling.

Has any one else had this? Or is it something I should be concerned about?

Coral - that is a good description for me as well... superficial things aren't bugging me and I am more calm. I always felt that I didn't need anything to change my brain, too - but I have to say, I started working in school today and I know I would not have handled things so well as I was before. I did feel one point where the anxiety and ptsd started to peak... but then it passed. Kinda cool =)

Dawr, yes.... I felt really odd last week from it... can you explain more of what the feeling is? My dr said it would take away that "edge" - edgy feeling. At first it really freaked me out, because with ptsd - you know I lived on the edge, it was the edge that I was always monitoring for signs of trouble. So with that gone, I was really weirded out. But it is ok now.
kiya

The feeling is like.... I'm extremely uncomfortable.

I feel anxious and uncomfortable. It's staring to really bother me because the feeling is really unnerving.

Which is strange because because I was taking it to control anxiety.

I guess If it persists or doesn't go away, I'll call my doctor. I read that one of the side effects can be nervousness.

i discribed it as kind of a jittery pins and needles feeling... it went away... but came back when i went off for awhile...lyn

another thing for me is that i have been itching ALL over like i'm covered in fleas or something... it's awful!!! Anyone else get that? Man i nearly scratched through the skin on my arm today - looked like i had poison oak, i scratched so much from this constant itching!!! this has been off and on for several days. unreal!!

i got a pins and needles feeling.... especially when i first started...lyn

I'm noticing that after the second day taking it, I still have the nervous feeling, but it's slightly lessened from what it was the night before. If this trend continues, then I'm confident the feeling will dispel completely.

I think i got a brain zap (that several ppl have mentioned) hit me upside the head on the right... like touching a door and getting a shock.
Was feeling ill again last night and today since as it turns out i did end up taking 75 mgs of 5HTP instead of 50 - grrrrrrrrrrrr. really increases the potency.

I feel like the med is helping me still, though I do have some
side effects that I think will pass

I really like the fact that I don't worry about details as much, since
I was a very, over analytic

to the point I give myself headaches

Coral, I'm in the same boat....
Still *really* jittery, still sick to my stomach.. body is nervous and fidgety.... hands keep shaking...

but at the same time, I haven't SIed at all like usual, and I got through working in school through what would have been a panic attack. Plus I have concerts coming up all weekend and I know it is helping me get through those.

OK all.... I think it is time for me to go up to 10mgs. I'm pretty much on my own when it comes to my MD on this. SHe wanted me on 10 right away but then said i could start on 5 for a few days.... that was 2 weeks ago. And I am getting irritable and depressed daily so i think it's past time.

Question is - is it better to do the whole pill at once, or should i do half morning, half evening? I've been reading through the pages to see what side effects ppl dealt with.... but if anyone has any other gems of wisdom - i'm all ears.... thanks - kiya

I'd say try to do it at night before bed... then you sleep through the worst of the side effects.

have you experienced a bunch of side effects when going up in dosage?

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Christina86 said:
((((((((((((Kiya))))))))))))) Yeah, one of the complaints I've heard while being on Lexapro (that I've also experienced) is being a bit "out of it" ... blank, and inability to concentrate at times. Kinda like being on autopilot.

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hmmmmmmmmmm.... maybe uping the dose the night before a matinee concert isn't the best idea...? Coruse, if i wait till Sunday night and get called to sub on Monday.... might be worse.

kiya maybe up it on friday so you get the worst of it on the weekend... when i upped i revisited the side effects but not as intensely as when i first started... mostly just no appetite... and it only lasted a few days... my doc had me take it in the morning in case it would cause me not to be able to sleep... lyn

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Kiya said:
have you experienced a bunch of side effects when going up in dosage?

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I'd say when you want to up it is your decision... I didnt experience bad side effects upping it until I went from 15-20mg.